"Blue Rose Knights — Sol, you have received six stars. I grant you the title of Third-Class Intermediate Magic Knight."
Julius took out a medal and pinned it on the outstanding Magic Knight.
Adam's eyes lit up. This dark-skinned girl is pretty damn cute.
"Captain Charlotte is here too. Man, I'd love to join Blue Rose."
"Adam! You're already a Black Bull! Don't you dare have any other ideas!"
Asta, stubborn as always, shouted loudly the moment Adam muttered those words.
"Keep your voices down!"
Klaus stiffened nervously. These two idiots have no idea where they are!
"The Golden Dawn received a total of seventy-two stars. The other squads need to work harder," Julius said with his arms wide open. "I've prepared a simple banquet. Please enjoy."
"Oh, and there are special guests."
The moment Julius finished speaking, Adam and the others could feel the malicious gazes turning toward them.
Here we go…
Adam wondered why Julius had to bring up that incident with the Dungeon. These nobles clearly looked down on commoners.
"The air here's really uncomfortable," Klaus muttered.
The moment the Wizard King left, the malice thickened.
"Asta and Adam are incredible. They can still eat like this," Mimosa whispered.
"I'm used to it," Asta said through a mouth full of food, grinning stupidly.
"It's fine," Adam thought to himself. Let them laugh now. I'll make them cry later.
"What a despicable fellow. Why would the Wizard King call people like that?"
"For someone without magic power, conquering the Dungeon was just dumb luck."
"What an ugly way to eat."
"This is no place for stinking rats. Get out of here!"
Most of the mocking came from Golden Dawn and the Silver Eagles.
Among them, a brother and sister with silver-white pigtails kept targeting Noelle.
Even Golden Dawn members were looking down on their own kind.
Only Leopold from the Crimson Lion Kings spoke sensibly.
The rest stayed silent, pretending it wasn't their problem.
In short, the so-called nobles humiliated Adam and his companions brutally — even Mimosa and Klaus weren't spared.
Solid walked toward Noelle with a cup of water in hand.
"Noelle, you're trash. Do you even belong here?"
"Dragon Blast!"
Before Solid could pour the water on her head, Adam fired a beam of energy straight at him.
"Mercury Wall!"
Nozel blocked just in time.
Adam's attack had been aimed directly at Solid's head. If Nozel hadn't stepped in, the bastard would've become a headless horseman.
"You lowly commoner! What are you doing!" Solid screamed, collapsing to the ground.
He'd just looked death in the eye.
"This lowlife actually tried to kill me!"
"What are you doing?! Lowlifes, bugs, rats—you're all the same!" Asta suddenly jumped onto the table, slamming his hands down. "I'll become the Wizard King and make you shut up!"
The nobles froze in shock. No one from the lower class had ever dared talk to them like that.
"Armor of mud and sand—"
"Shut up. All of you."
Adam's voice dropped to a chilling growl as he unleashed his magic power without holding back.
The air instantly grew heavy. Everyone in the hall felt an oppressive pressure crushing down on them—even the squad captains.
"H-How is that possible!"
Nozel, leader of the Silver Eagles, reacted instantly and released his magic power to counter.
But it was useless.
Captains Fuegoleon of the Crimson Lion Kings and Charlotte of the Blue Rose Knights had to join in, releasing their own magic to balance out Adam's overwhelming pressure.
Adam, who had absorbed more than half of the Dungeon's power, might not be able to use all of it—but as a threat? It was more than enough.
"Adam!" Asta gasped from where he was slumped over the table.
Adam hadn't controlled the output, so everyone at the banquet was suffering under the pressure.
"Noelle's brother, right?" Adam said coldly, staring at Nozel. "Let me warn you once. If I see you bullying Noelle again… I'll kill you."
"You're insane!" Nozel roared, conjuring a Mercury Spear and launching it at him.
"Dragon Blast!"
BOOM!
The explosion shattered the spear into pieces. Adam didn't even bother turning his head. His eyes locked instead on the fat bastard from Golden Dawn.
"Next time," Adam said in a low, dangerous tone, "it won't be as simple as lying on the ground."
He glared around the hall with a feral grin. "A person without magic power, huh? If we judge by magic alone, then maybe I'm royalty. You're the inferior ones."
The entire hall went silent.
What a terrifying boy.
What kind of monster did the Wizard King bring in?
"Boy, don't be too arrogant. Take back what you said," Fuegoleon said sternly.
"Men… always causing trouble," Charlotte muttered with narrowed eyes.
The three captains surrounded Adam.
Aliens… they shouldn't exist.
"Noelle," Adam said casually, "stop hanging around these pigtailed idiots. It lowers your IQ."
"Adam…" Noelle looked at him nervously.
Asta and Yuno silently pulled out their grimoires, ready to back him up.
So this is how strong Adam is…
Neither Adam nor Yuno backed down. In fact, their fighting spirit flared.
Adam was arrogant, but he wasn't stupid. He knew he couldn't win against three captains.
Magic was just a decoration—no real point in dragging it out.
He couldn't beat them… but he could still run.
Years of buried anger boiled over in that moment. The fury exploded, pushing his Dragon Power to its limit.
"With Perfect Dragon Power," Adam growled, "I am unbeatable."
The tension in the banquet hall was razor-sharp. One spark and the fight would erupt.
Bang!
"Report! The Royal Capital is under attack!"
A Magic Knight burst into the hall, face pale. Did I walk in at the wrong time?
This sudden news was a perfect escape route.
"The Magic Knights' first duty is to protect the people," Fuegoleon said immediately. "Let's get to work."
"That's right. Let's handle the real problem," Charlotte agreed.
Adam smirked at Nozel, raising his eyebrows mockingly.
Little devil. Just wait for me.
Nozel clenched his fists but suppressed his fury. The capital came first.
"Then I'll go first!" Asta shouted, bolting out the door.
The self-proclaimed hero of justice couldn't let innocents be hurt.
Adam followed at his own pace, making sure no one could stab him in the back.
He called out sarcastically as he flew off, "Take your time talking it out. By the time you're done, the capital'll be occupied."
Nozel's heart thudded with rage, but his cold expression didn't break.
Then he thought about Noelle's attitude toward Adam… and his face twisted.
Could it be… this brat is going to steal my little sister?
Adam: Belated affection is cheaper than a dog.
Dog: Bro. Say that again.